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Hamilton figured Johnson would stay at Auburn

Alabama sophomore linebacker Shaun Hamilton of Montgomery talks about playing for a national championship, his G.W. Carver High teammate Jeremy Johnson returning to Auburn for his senior year and more.

Jeremy Johnson will return for his senior season at Auburn and not transfer(Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

PHOENIX – Two years ago, I talked to then-freshman Jeremy Johnson about being on a team playing for a national championship when Auburn faced Florida State in Pasadena, Calif.

Two years later, I was back on that same side of the country interviewing another former G.W. Carver High star looking to win a national title – Alabama sophomore linebacker Shaun Hamilton.

So it just seemed appropriate to ask Hamilton about his high school teammate’s decision to stay at Auburn for his senior season and not transfer.

“I knew he was going to stay the whole time,” Hamilton said at Saturday’s media day as Alabama (13-1) plays Clemson (14-0) tonight in the College Football Playoff title game in Glendale.

“We talked a lot. Everybody’s first season as a full-time starter is not going to go as they planned so I’m sure he’s going to a great job responding to adversity. I know what he’s capable of doing. You can look forward to seeing him have a big year next year.”

I wasn’t surprised, either, but how quickly he made that announcement was a surprise to me. Right after the game and without hesitation, Johnson told reporters he was coming back to Auburn.

Johnson must really have confidence in himself because Gus Malzahn benched him twice this season. The first came after the LSU loss in which he played poorly after two subpar games.

The second was for the Birmingham Bowl. Redshirt freshman Sean White didn’t look 100 percent, but Malzahn started him anyway.

Now Johnson came in, threw a touchdown and was a difference maker, but he’s trusting that his play will earn him a starting spot knowing it took an injury to White for him to start again after the first benching. He’ll have to beat out White and junior college transfer John Franklin III to start in 2016.

The question is does Malzahn think that highly of Johnson, too?Just as Derrick Henry had his back after the Iron Bowl, Hamilton is confident Johnson can bounce back and have a big finish to his college career.